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Ramdev gives clean chit to Modi, ruffles Team Anna

Ahmedabad/New Delhi, Jul 29, 2012 (PTI)

Yoga guru Ramdev today came under attack from Team Anna as he shared the stage with Chief Minister Narendra Modi in Ahmedabad and said he found no basis for allegations of corruption in Gujarat.

"Everybody is asking me about corruption in Gujarat, but I couldn't find anything of this sort. Modi is not doing anything wrong," Ramdev, who has joined hands with Anna Hazare and his aides in their anti-graft stir, said at an awards function where Modi was also present on the dais.

"Ministers of Congress-led UPA government have been in jail. Had the Gujarat chief minister also done anything wrong, he would have been put behind bars," Ramdev said. Suggesting uneasiness in Team Anna over association with the yoga guru in their anti-corruption agitation, its member Sanjay Singh described Modi as a "murderer of humanity" and said Ramdev has to explain why he shared the dais with the BJP leader.

"We were never in agreement with Modi. We are not in agreement with Modi now. Narendra Modi is a murderer of humanity. Ramdev will have to clarify on this issue," Singh, who was conducting the proceedings from the dais along with another activist Kumar Vishwas at Hazare's fast venue in Delhi, told reporters when asked about Ramdev sharing stage with Modi.

Claiming that Hazare has already made his views clear on Modi, he said the Gujarat Chief Minister has not passed a strong Lokayukta bill in the state. Hazare had last year courted controversy after praising Modi, remarks which were later clarified as commending his initiatives for rural development. Since then, Hazare and his team had always been cautious not to comment on Modi.

A section in Team Anna is also in discomfort over the association with Ramdev even as Hazare and the yoga guru share good relations. Hazare today joined three of his team members in their indefinite fast in the national capital after his four-day ultimatum to the government to concede to his demands on Lokpal Bill found no response.

Speaking at the Tarun Kranti Awards-2012 ceremony, Modi also praised Ramdev saying he was doing an "excellent job" in the national interest.

"While Gujarat has framed rules to curb cow-slaughter, the Centre was encouraging the practice through its various policies," Modi said

The event was organised at the discourse venue of Tarun Sagar Maharaj, a spiritual leader of jain community. "In independent India, there have been two revolutions in the past, the Green revolution in Punjab and the White revolution in Gujarat," Modi said.

"Now, the UPA is attempting to bring a 'Pink Revolution' by offering Rs 50 crore to those indulging in slaughtering of cow progeny," Modi alleged.